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In Case You Missed It: Fox Scandal - Winners and Losers

Saturday, March 29, 2014GoLocalProv News Team

"In Case You Missed It," GoLocal's weekend feature, that gives you a second chance to read this week's top news story. Check out what dominated the news cycle this week in Providence and get all the details with these easy links.

Fox Scandal - Winners and Losers

The resignation of Speaker of the House Gordon Fox has created a power vacuum and redefined the political landscape in Rhode Island.

The events trigger one of the most dramatic power shifts in Rhode Island's history. The explanation of why Fox resigned has yet to be fully disclosed, but the implications are already profound.

Winner

Murphy and Fox worked together for more than a decade and their relationship had both ups and downs. Nick Mattiello, if elected Speaker, is a close ally to former Speaker Bill Murphy.

Murphy had served as Speaker from 2003 to 2010. The former legislator has a successful criminal defense practice and is a lobbyist for notable clients (2013) for UTGR (Twin River), Advance America Cash Advance, and the Brotherhood of Correction Officers.

Murphy will emerge as an ever greater influencer with Mattiello as Speaker.

Loser

For the past decade, Providence could always count of Gordon Fox to help bail the Providence Budget out of trouble.

From Finance Committee Chair, then-Majority Leader and ultimately-Speaker, Providence Mayors knew that Fox -- the Mount Hope section of Providence Representative -- would increase aid to Providence in one way or another.

Providence always found an extra few millions from Fox. That access is likely to end in 2014 further impacting the City of Providence's budget issues.

Loser

The pieces were falling together for the effort to pass legislation to legalize marijuana in Rhode Island. Speaker Fox was a social progressive. Judiciary Committee Chair Edith Ajello, who may lose her post in the power shift, was the legislation's sponsor and in command of the key committee.

In addition, Governor Lincoln Chafee has voiced support for the idea.

But, a shift to a more conservative Mattiello would throw a barrier in the way to a 2014 passage.